The SUV was raised and had no mud flaps, which is illegal because the tires can kick up debris, Hernandez said.

Tassone activated his lights and tried to make a traffic stop, but the driver of the 4Runner failed to stop and continued up Brunswick Road, turning right on Highway 174.

The SUV driver then turned onto Osborne Hill Road, but Tassone was unable to keep up, Hernandez said. The abandoned vehicle was located, and a helicopter with heat-seeking equipment was called out, as were Placer County Sheriff’s K-9 units and Nevada County Sheriff’s deputies.

The driver was not located, and the incident remains under investigation.

“Everything happened so fast. When the bus spun everything flew, even the people.”